Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

[darthphineas]

I've seen a few topics on this, but they are all a little old, so I thought I'd fire up a new one to see if there are some fresh perspectives.

MrsDarth got me another guitar for Christmas and it came with the BFTS. it has a Floyd, and I see nothing different about the nut, so I'm guessing the intonation is the only thing different. so I have a few questions for those in-the-know.


shy of droppping some scratch (which is best used on new pickups) on a new fancy tuner with BFTS settings, has anyone done an intonation on a guitar with the BFTS? the neck has a little overbow and I'm going to resolve that... but I'd bet you dollars to donuts that it will knock out the intonation. I'm certain my old trusty BOSS TU-12 will do the trick if I knew the process. I'll also be installing a new big brass sustain block and will need to remove all the saddles for that... so an idea of the BFTS intonation process would be ideal, if I'm going to put it back to the BFTS. which brings me to.....

let's say I just don't want to fart around with the BFTS at all. I'm thinking there won't be any harm in just doing a totally normal setup on the bridge and being done with it. is there any reason to think otherwise? will de-Feitenizing a guitar be like crossing the ion streams and bring an end to the universe as we know it?


thanks!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

The KORG DT-7 is/was an affordable tuner with a BFTS mode built in.

Compare measurements between the nut/clamp and first fret on BFTS and regular guitars. At the vibrato bridge end of the strings, measure the individual saddle adjustments from a fixed datum point somewhere on the bridge baseplate.

The proper BTFS job is supposed to involve percentage corrections on a per instrument basis.

Alternative suggestion. Investigate whether there is such a thing as an Earvana-style string clamp/nut device yet?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

See, I'd like to avoid dropping time and money tracking down a specialty tuner just for a single guitar. I'm aware of that Korg as well as some Peterson models that incorporate that system. The only assurance they offer is with the tuning. The greater concern is with the intonation and with the actual method to perform an intonation.

Compensated nuts or bridges are not a big deal toTheresa if they really are all that and a bag of chips, all the major/common guitar makers would be putting them on their instruments. I have seen the Earvana locking nut to used with a FR, but if I wanted to drop $100 I'd just put that toward a specialty tuner. After a few days of searching online, I've found several places that talk 'about' how the BFTS intonation, but no where that covers how to actually do it.

Then again, I believe that doing a normal setup on the guitar and doing a normal intonation should be perfectly fine. Does anyone have any reason to believe there are any pitfalls to de-Feitenizing a guitar?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

On the majority of guitars, the BFTS conversion requires the removal of a small portion of the fingerboard.

Reversing this modification means either an unsightly insert or a whole new board.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

*Must resist commenting*
*Hate the BFTS with a passion*

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

On the majority of guitars, the BFTS conversion requires the removal of a small portion of the fingerboard.

Reversing this modification means either an unsightly insert or a whole new board.

Yes, because the process of BFTS moves the nut slightly closer to the bridge -- unless the nut has been replaced with a "shelf" nut that hangs the witness point of the strings a little over the edge of the fretboard. That's the only thing that's inherently, physically different about a guitar with the system.

Personally, I think if $200 is reasonable to invest in pickups (or any other upgrades) to a single guitar, it's just as reasonable to get a special tuner for a single guitar. Don't forget that you can use that tuner (in non-BFTS modes) for your other guitars, too.

Anyway, the system goes something like this:
1.) Move the nut a little closer to the bridge -- a tiny, tiny amount. My 7-string Ibanez was done with an unofficial bone shelf nut.
2.) Intonate the open strings with a predetermined set of offsets, which are +/- a cent or two on most strings, with a few stings still right on.
3.) Intonate the 12th-fret notes (not the harmonics) to a second set of offsets, again +/- a cent or two on most, with a few still right on.
4.) If you have a good tuner that can be set for these offsets or can at least read accurately when you're at the offset points, you don't need a BFTS tuner -- but you need to know what the offsets are.
5.) If you have a tuner with the BTFS modes, you don't need to know what the offsets are for everyday tuning -- and possibly not even for intonation adjustments. (I'm not sure as I've not had to adjust the intonation on my Ibanez since the conversion was done).

So that's it, as I understand it, in a nutshell -- as someone with one Feitenized guitar who likes the system, realizes it's not perfect, realizes it's neither a magic bullet nor for every player for every guitar.

 

[JohnJohn]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

If the guitar came with the BFTS then the fretboard has been cut to accommodate it and unfortunately is permanent.
The shelf nuts are for retrofitting standard guitars with the system.

There are several tuners that are designed with the system in mind, I use the Korg that was sent to me when I was authorized by Feiten to do the mod to guitars to add the system and Peterson tuners also have a setting for it as well.
There are probably others but those are the two that I am aware of.
You can use standard tuners as the nut has already been compensated as part of the system but for full effect of the system a BFTS setup tuner is advised.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

to be totally certain I did check and the overall scale is shortened by just at 1/16". maybe there's enough travel in the saddles to account for taking it back to normal. but I'm going to move ahead with the BFTS on this one for now and enjoy the process of learning something new.

I downloaded the Peterson iStroboSoft app and will be grabbing a 1/4" to mini adapter. the Boss TU-12 is just not as hyper-accurate to that degree without a smidge of guesswork. that particular app does not come with the 'sweetened' settings for the BFTS, but I did find these offsets (in cents) in several places... all of the resources are consistent, so I'm expecting that they will be right:

open strings:

Note________Open String Offsets
E___________________00
B__________________+01
G__________________-02
D__________________-02
A__________________-02
E__________________-02

intonation :

Note__________12th Fret Offsets
E___________________00
B___________________00
G__________________+01
D__________________+01
A___________________00
E___________________00


the guitar wasn't advertised as having the BFTS on it. it's not a huge deal, but I don't see where it's that importan to me and would've been fine if it didn't have it at all. lol! but.... on the PLUS side... the iStroboSoft app might be the most accurate tuner I've come across and I can look forward to having a guitar that sounds better... even when my playing isn't. lol!

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for a Floyd

I have it on some of my guitars. It is not that big a deal...

http://www.buzzfeiten.com/howitworks/howitworks.htm

http://www.buzzfeiten.com/howitworks/tuningwtbfts.htm

I just set up my Turbo tuner using custom settings for the BF system. I set intonation using it.